Chapter 54

Chapter 54

When Tyler and his knight rushed at me, I cast a spell with a guttural word. The two death cores exploded into a mist of death magic. Innately, I felt something I hadnt noticed beforeI instinctually funneled my own death energy into it.

This was another spell Id recently regained access to that I had continued to use, even at higher levels: Undead Knight.

There were better spells for creating more powerful undead, like the one I used for the Cerberus, but this one was quick and easy to use. The death energy I channeled allowed me to modify it some. Although, since it was the first time, I wasnt sure how it worked, so I focused on enhancing the durability of my creation.

I yanked Mathiss body free of Mercy. To my surprise, he still wasnt quite dead, a spark of hatred hovered behind his eyes. You are one tough son of a bitch, I said as the spell took hold. Now die knowing your body will be what I use to win this fight.Ñ00v€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.

The wave of death magic snuffed out what little life was left in him as he became the focus of my spell. The bodies of the nearby fallen clerics were eviscerated as their flesh and bones were used to build the Undead Knight. Even though the spell used up all my mana, it was worth it.

Before Tyler made it to me, the Undead Knight leapt to attention and blocked him with a massive shield made of still dripping bones.

The Undead Knight roared as it swung a bone ax at Tyler. He leapt back just in time to avoid being cleaved in two. For the moment, I was safe, and used the opportunity to examine my creation.

Undead Knight

Level: 51

Created by Ezekiel Verniac

Undead Knights are a staple undead minion for any necromancer of any appreciable power. They are durable and can command hordes of lesser undead, if created with a recently slain foe.

The Undead Knight has been further enhanced with death energy from a Lich and has an increased health and resilience stat.

I was surprised by the level. Normally, nonspecialized undead creatures were only three-quarters the level of the caster who created them. Vito had told me a long time ago that one of the benefits of becoming a Lich was the ability to raise more powerful creatures. I realized now he meant their level would be higher.

Undead Knights did have an upper-level cap they could reach before they stopped getting stronger, but I was nowhere near a high enough level myself for that to be an issue. This particular knight was incredibly gruesome, because Id made it with recently killed corpses. The necrotic magic caused the flesh to rot and blood to putrefy, which ran out of the monster like festering boils.

Just as I was starting to get really worried, the beam cut off. A group of clerics collapsed in exhaustion. The beam had stopped me dead in my tracks and left me ragged. Much of the dark flesh that covered my skeletal form had been burned away.

I felt something new. Following an unfamiliar instinct, I activated an effect I didnt know I had.

A large portion of my available death energy exploded out of me, completely restoring the damage Id taken. The creating of the Undead Knight and this rapid regeneration had used up over two-thirds of my available death energy, but at least I knew what to do with the energy now.

A groan of despair rose from the clerics and I smiled. No doubt I was a terrifying visage to behold. When I dashed for the clerics, they recoiled. The first fell and within moments rose to fight alongside me. My strategy was different this time. I defended the weak zombie as I continued to take down the clerics. A lone low-level zombie wasnt that great, but a group of them was much better.

Soon, the number of zombies I was protecting had grown, and just in time. Maxwells song began to take effect. The zombies moved faster and hit harder. As Maxwell layered in more buffs, the zombies began pulling their own weight.

Before long, I started to run out of clerics to raise. Suddenly, I was bashed to the ground. Though Id seen the attack coming, Id not had the time to dodge. Tyler had slain the Undead Knight and turned his strength on me, pinning me to the sodden earth. A group of his knights rushed straight at me and laid into my zombies.

How could you work with such a creature? Tyler yelled at Maxwell. You know this world is more than you realize! You are killing actual people.

You know, I have a name. I shoved Tyler off of me, my massive strength fueled by all the death cores Id absorbed. Do I not count as alive?

You are a monster! Tyler fell into a defensive posture. You should be exterminated.

Ouch. I chuckled, using up all my mana to cast a spell. You should tell that to all my new friends.

Oh no you dont! Tyler lunged, trying to disrupt my casting.

I saw the attack coming, side stepped, and slammed Mercy into the ground, releasing a dark wave of magic.

The spell had no effect on the living, but the zombies became much faster and stronger, and dozens more fallen clerics began to rise. The ledge we were fighting on now had more zombies than living.

You know the first rule of fighting necromancers? I spun Mercy and stabbed at Tyler. Especially Lichsnever give them time to create minions. Did you never play D&D?